U.S. defense official confirms 2nd deployment of North Korean troops to Ukraine-Russia conflict
Published: 06 Mar. 2025, 17:42
Updated: 06 Mar. 2025, 19:02
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- SEO JI-EUN
- [email protected]
![Five men presumed to be North Korean soldiers stand outside a building in an unknown location in this photo released by Russian media outlet Astra in October 2024. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/03/06/2641f8b9-3998-4de1-a0ef-9a05c2293995.jpg)
Five men presumed to be North Korean soldiers stand outside a building in an unknown location in this photo released by Russian media outlet Astra in October 2024. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
A U.S. government official confirmed Wednesday that North Korea has deployed additional troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine, following a recent confirmation by South Korea's spy agency.
An anonymous U.S. Department of Defense official confirmed that North Korea had sent reinforcements, according to a report by Radio Free Asia (RFA) on Wednesday.
The official described the scale as sufficient to replace North Korean casualties on the front lines, but did not provide specific numbers regarding the additional deployment.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) said on Feb. 27 that it believes some North Korean troops have been additionally deployed and the exact scale is “still being assessed.”
A Ukrainian defense intelligence representative revealed that “around 4,000" of the approximately 11,000 North Korean troops initially deployed to the front lines of Russia’s Kursk region had either been killed or wounded in a media interview on Feb. 21.
Rep. Yu Yong-weon from the People Power Party, who recently visited Ukraine and interviewed two North Korean prisoners of war captured in Ukraine, also reported that a second batch of North Korean troops had been sent, totaling “around 5,000 personnel.” Of these, 1,500 have already been stationed near Kursk, while the remaining 3,500 are undergoing local adaptation training.
The NIS said Wednesday that North Korean forces are believed to be “receiving training in drone operation and tactics from Russia.”
Drones have played a critical role in the Ukraine war, serving as low-cost, high-efficiency weapons. North Korean troops deployed in Kursk reportedly suffered heavy casualties due to their lack of experience in countering Ukrainian drones. Analysts suggest that Pyongyang, having recognized the power of drones in modern warfare, is now seeking to enhance its drone capabilities with Russian support.
Meanwhile, a North Korean soldier captured by Ukrainian forces claimed that North Korea has training facilities modeled after the terrain of major South Korean cities, including Seoul, Busan and Jeju Island.
![Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the People Power Party interviews a captured North Korean soldier during his four-day visit to Ukraine from Feb. 23 to 26. [REP. YU YONG-WEON]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/03/06/8daf23c9-d9e1-4c87-b5d9-2c7274ae337d.jpg)
Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the People Power Party interviews a captured North Korean soldier during his four-day visit to Ukraine from Feb. 23 to 26. [REP. YU YONG-WEON]
“It has been known that North Korea built training facilities resembling the Blue House, but the existence of such sites in Goksan has been largely unknown,” Rep. Yu said. “While I had heard reports of training grounds mimicking Busan and other cities, this is the first time I have heard that North Korea has a facility modeled after Jeju Island.”
Rep. Yu added that Ri told him that there were multiple training grounds beyond Goksan.
When asked whether this indicated North Korea was preparing for an invasion of South Korea, Rep. Yu responded, “Yes,” adding that it appears to be preparation for a potential contingency.
BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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